Suzuka, Oct 6 : Sebastian Vettel stormed to his fourth straight pole position at the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix qualifying here Saturday, while his teammate Mark Webber went second fastest to seal a Red Bull front row.

The result gives the German world champion the best chance possible of closing Fernando Alonso's 29-point lead in the drivers' standings after the Spaniard posted a time that sees him start sixth in a Ferrari.

McLaren's Jensen Button went third-fastest but has a five-place grid penalty for an illegal gearbox change and must start in eighth, one position ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton.

That promotes Sauber's local hero Kamui Kobayashi to third on the grid, with Romain Grosjean of Lotus in fourth.

Sergio Perez, starts fifth in his first race since the announcement that the Mexican will replace Hamilton at McLaren next year, with the Briton taking the seat of the retiring Michael Schumacher at Mercedes.

Seven-time champion Schumacher starts on the back row after incurring a 10-place penalty for a collision with Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne in Singapore last month.

Alonso, meanwhile, claimed to have been impeded by the last-lap spin of Kimi Raikkonen in Q3, which occurred after Vettel had gone quickest but before the Ferrari driver finished his final flying lap.